Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1887-11-19
ENTERS HELENA AI !!
Donald Grant Reaches the Capt.
tai City on Time.
For the Present. Trains Will Make
the Montana Central Run
in Six Hours.

track Viii be completed TO the city III the
afternoon. 1t is reported that the North
ern Pacific will try to prevent the Manito-
ba from crossing their srack here.
3P M.-The Northern Pacific still re-
fuses to allow the Manitoba to cross its
roadbed on its way to the center of the
city. The people are indignant at this
shabby conduct. Colonel Broadwater has
made inquiry by telegraph regarding the
Saint Paul through train which will pass
through Great Falls on its way to Helena.
He is desirous to have Great Falls well
represented at the celebration.
4P. M.-The Montana Central is cross
ing the Rimini track of the Northern
Pacific. A crowd of people threatened
to throw the Northern Pacific train off
the track
The Montana Central is at Helena.
This completes another link in thatsystem
of allied lines which begins at Saint Paul,
whence it will extend to Butte and per
haps to the Pacific coast. The Montana
Central might claim to be the parent of
the Montana extension (Minot to Great
FalIs,) although the latter was finished
first. In 1885 colonel BroadWater, who
has close relations with James j. Hill, in-
duced him to engage in this important en-
terprise. He pointed out to the sagacious
railroad magnate the broad field which
central and northern Montana presented for
railroad enterprise. Mr.. Hill, whose lines
had been gradually extended westward in
the path OF iInmfg grafton and some times
in advance of it, entered readily into the
project which was initiated quietly. Col
one1 Broad water secured the services Of
colonel Dodge, an eminent engineer who
had been connected with the construction
of the Northern Pacific railway and had
a thorough knowledge of Montana topog-
raphy.
Colonel Dodge went over the ground in
the winter of 1856, and in the spring it
was announced that the Montana Central
railroad would build lines from Great
Falls to Helena, and from Helena to RIM
mi, where Mr. Hill. colonel BroadWater
and their associates had acquired exten-
sive mining property. This announce
ment caused great surprise in railroad
circles, and gave a great shock to the
Northern Pacific people, who had laid
claim to the northern route and bad plac-
ed on their maps projected line from
Helena to Benton, as a warning to invad-
ers.
The route OF the new railroad was large
IL determined by the interest which Mr..
Hill had acquired in this region through
the Jealous efforts of Paris Gibson, who
had induced him and his associates to as
slst in founding here city on a compre-
heusive scale, in order to develop the i'm
mense water-power of the falls, and other
resources of this richly endowed mineral
and agricultural region.
lnC AiSG sulSCf LII bitC iVS 1aA1Stta
was begun in January 1886 by Mr.. Wat
son, who had been associated with colonel
Dodge in other important surveys. Mr..
Beckel and Mr.. Bryan were also engaged
in the surveys, which were promptly
completed. Contracts were let for the
grading. The roadbed on the Rimini
branch was completed by June and that
on the main line by the end of the year.
IT was the intention of the company to be-
gin tracklaying the following summer,
but the Northern Pacific was SO insanely
Jealous of the new enterprise that it de-
nanded $35 per ton for hauling the steel
rails from Saint Paul to Helena. Mr.. Hill
come promptly to the aid OF the young en-
1erprise and declared that he would build
westward and carry his own iron rather
than submit to such extertion. Accord
ingly he let the contract for the Montana
extension-a railroad of $50 miles, which,
as the world knows, was completed in the.
interval from April to October, a feat un-
preeedented in the record of railroad con-
struction.
While the people Of Great Falls We're
celebrating the completion of the road, the
traeklayers were already placing the steel
rails on the Montana Central, which Mr..
Grant, the champion tracklayer Of the
world, declared would be finished to Hell
ena by the 18th instant, today. He has
& kept his word for the second link is now
completed in the railroad system which
begins at the twin cities and opens up to
settlement and to commerce some Of the
richest lands on the earth's surface.